Enactus & Colgate-Palmolive enlist young people in multi-country initiative to combat oral disease crisis

Teams of Enactus students in Brazil, India, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States will develop and execute projects designed to increase awareness about oral health over a multi-month program as part of Colgate-Palmolive Company’s global Know Your OQ™ campaign. Enactus, the world’s largest experiential learning platform dedicated to creating a better world while developing the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders and social innovators, is partnering with Colgate-Palmolive to host a global accelerator challenge, mobilizing the next generation of leaders to prioritize oral health.

Program sponsor Colgate-Palmolive, whose Colgate brand is in more homes than any other, is challenging Enactus students to help spread the message about the importance of oral health on overall health: Know Your OQ™, or Oral Health Quotient. Just like IQ (intelligence quotient) or EQ (emotional quotient), Knowing Your OQ will help people understand how oral health is linked to physical health and well-being and learn how to take simple measures to improve oral health – and promote healthier futures. 

According to the World Health Organization, nearly half of the world suffers from oral diseases like cavities, gingivitis and periodontal disease. There are simple, accessible steps for preventing these diseases, and these steps can have far-reaching impacts on overall health. Oral diseases are linked with cardiovascular health, diabetes, cancers, pneumonia, obesity and premature birth, as well as emotional wellbeing.

Colgate-Palmolive’s Know Your OQ program helps advance United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number three: Good Health and Well-being and number four: Quality Education. The 17 SDGs serve as a framework for the sustainable business solutions the young entrepreneurs of Enactus create through their projects.

“With gratitude to Colgate-Palmolive, we are proud to empower the health and well-being of the communities in these five countries through the Know Your OQ™ program, and we’re thrilled to contribute to Colgate-Palmolive’s important mission to promote oral health worldwide,” said Janani Akhil, Vice President, Global Programs, Enactus.

“As the core of our company’s purpose, Colgate is reimagining a healthier future for all. To do that, we partner with incredible organizations like Enactus that can help expand our reach and engage those who care about public health and wellbeing as much as we do,” said Paula S. Davis, Chief Communications Officer, Colgate-Palmolive. “We are excited to see the innovative ideas that Enactus students develop to educate people about the importance of oral health and, more importantly, put them into action to help families and communities around the world.”

Enactus is the largest experiential learning platform dedicated to creating a better world while developing the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders and social innovators.